CNN's "Moneyline" examined the NCAA men's basketball
tournament -- a "blue chip event" for advertisers -- and noted
when it comes to commercials during the games, the "best pitchmen
are often on the sidelines." Steiner Sports Marketing President
Brandon Steiner said a lot of the coaches "have great
personalities, they're fun and they have tremendous longevity at
these universities." The piece featured two spots: the Taco Bell
ad starring Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, and John Thompson; and a
Degree ad with John Calipari, Tubby Smith, and Jim Harrick. DDB
Needham Worldwide Account Supervisor Tracy Zirin: "John Calipari
said that people stop him on the street and yell, 'Hey, coach,
you got your Degree on?' ... So we know it's having some impact
out there in the marketplace." CNN noted advertisers are paying
up to $600,000 for a 30-second spot in this year's finals and
that, overall, network profitability is a "slam dunk"
("Moneyline," CNN, 3/20).
HOOPS MADNESS: In the academic year from July '94-June '95,
UConn men's and women's basketball licensed products generated
$12M in retail sales (Patricia Seremet, HARTFORD COURANT, 3/21).
UMass officials want to add 14 luxury boxes to the Mullin Center
and add $8,000 signs to the front of the press table. UMass
currently generates $323,637 from its 17 sponsors. UConn, which
plays in the "more lucrative" Big East, has seen sponsorship
revenue rise from $250,000 to $3M since '89 (David Halbfinger,
BOSTON GLOBE, 3/21).

After relinquishing its position as official telecom
consultant to the NFL, GTE says it will explore other sports
sponsorship opportunities and that staff will not be affected by
the loss (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/21)....Miller Brewing breaks two new
spots for Miller Genuine Draft Light, themed "The lighter side of
MGD" (AD AGE ONLINE, 3/21)....HA-LO Industries and the Cubs
announced that HA-LO has sponsored installation of cup holders in
31,000 of Wrigley Field's seats, including skyboxes. Cubs
VP/Marketing John McDonough: "HA-LO is the only commercial name
inside Wrigley Field. The presentation of the company's logo is
very tasteful and we do not feel that it contradicts the pristine
environment of the ball park (HA-LO)....Charlotte Motor Speedway
founder Bruton Smith and President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler are on a
three-week "road show," visiting investment brokers to promote
the second issue of 3,100,000 shares of Speedway Motorsports
stock (Charlotte Motor Speedway).... Int'l Motor Sports
Association President Charles Slater confirmed that he may bring
in additional investors to the sanctioning body (TAMPA TRIBUNE,
3/21)....The Bigsby & Kruthers Dennis Rodman mural in Chicago was
originally intended to have shown him with sleeves, but Bigsby
Partner Gene Silverberg noted it didn't look "natural," so they
went sleeveless (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/20)....Theater owners at
last week's NATO/ShoWest convention were "surprisingly
enthusiastic" about sports-based movies due out this summer,
including "Eddie," starring Whoopi Goldberg, "Tin Cup," starring
Kevin Costner and Don Johnson, and "Space Jam" starring Michael
Jordan and Larry Bird (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, 3/22 issue)....In a
Giants press release on the '96 Bay Bridge Series, the team
refers to their ballpark as "Candlestick Park," not 3Com Park
(THE DAILY).

MasterCard Int'l has expanded its presence in pro golf
through a long-term agreement that includes sponsorship programs
on both the PGA and Senior PGA Tours. In addition to its
previously announced sponsorship of the PGA Tour's MasterCard
Colonial, MasterCard becomes new title sponsor for the former
Senior Tournament of Champions in '97. The MasterCard
Championship will be held next January at Hualalai, a new PGA
Tour resort on the Big Island of Hawaii. MasterCard also assumes
sponsorship of the Senior Tour's competition for players 60 and
over. The "Super Seniors" is now the "MasterCard Grand Masters."
MasterCard is also now the "Official Card of the PGA Tour," and
will look to expand visibility on both the PGA Tour and Senior
Tour through sponsorship of a panel on scoreboards. MasterCard
will also arrange for two "Jumbotron" TV monitors at the upcoming
Players Championship for fans to view action (Mastercard).
MAXFLI SIGNINGS: Maxfli Golf announced the following
signings: Larry Mize was re-signed to play Maxfli balls; British
player Stuart Cage signed a two-year deal to play the Maxfli HT
balata ball, use Maxfli VHL irons and wear Maxfli headwear;
former Walker Cup player Padraig Harrington will play the Maxfli
VHL irons and Maxfli HT balata ball on the European PGA Tour; and
Nancy Harvey has signed on as the Maxfli player rep on the LPGA
Tour (Maxfli).
RYDER REAPS BENEFITS: By "pouring money" into the Doral
Open, Miami-based Ryder has found itself with a "very hot" event
and a marketing tool "far more powerful than it ever dreamed,"
according to GOLFWEEK. Ryder President & CEO M. Anthony Burns:
"We have leveraged this very well into our customer base" (Robert
Lohrer, GOLFWEEK, 3/16 issue).

Since Mike Tyson wore a cap with the "Live Hard" logo to a
pre-fight press conference last week, sales of the cap and t-
shirt line have "soared," according to USA TODAY. Tyson is not a
paid endorser for Live Hard and only got the cap at an apparel
trade show last month, when Live Hard co-founder Michael
Kupferberg spotted Tyson and gave it to him. With the help of
Tyson's exposure, projected revenue for the Chicago-based apparel
line has "rocketed tenfold" to $10M. Marketing consultant Darcy
Bouzeos, on the exposure: "In terms of product name recognition,
it's invaluable." Live Hard has no ad budget and makes a
practice of sending caps and t-shirts to celebrities -- though
Tyson is the first to wear an item. Live Hard President Brett
Bombicino, who notes Michael Jordan has been sent the most
merchandise: "Maybe someday when Michael's in a rush to leave
his house, he'll accidentally grab his Live Hard cap instead of
his Nike hat" (Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY, 3/21).

Vail and most other major resorts in the Rockies are
starting to welcome snowboarding as the "salvation of the alpine
winter sports industry," according to the WASHINGTON POST. With
the number of snowboarders increasing each year, ski resorts are
moving away from the "brink of economic decline" as the
generation that powered skiing's growth in the '60s and '70s
ages. Currently, snowboarders make up 13% of ski area visitors,
but that is growing by 17% per year. This year, snowboards
accounted for almost 40% of wholesale equipment orders. National
Ski Areas Assoc President Michael Berry: "Snowboarding is the
growth element of the sport right now" (Tom Kenworthy, WASHINGTON
POST, 3/21).